Plug connecter for electrical appliances



Nov. 27; 1934 J. W; COMISKEY 4 PLUG CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES I Filed May 1.7, 1932 Pul -1 Patented Nov. 21, 1934 I PATENT OFFICE PLUG CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES Joseph W. Comiskey, Johnstown, Pa assignor o! one-third to Dell A. Comiskey and one-third to Joseph Siciliano, both of Johnstown, Pa.

Application May 17, 1932, Serial No. 611,882

3 Claims.

The present invention consists of a plug connecter for electrical appliances having for an object the provision of a universal connection to eliminate all strain on the current-conducting wires, especially at their point of connection with the plug housing.

It is well known in the art to provide swivel connecters for the plugs of electrical appliances, but these are limited to a movement about a vertical axis; consequently a distortion of the cable results, unless the plug-in socket for the house current is in one particular location. With the present invention the location of the house current socket is of no moment in that the connecter automatically adjusts its position to conform to the stress on the cable or cord.

A further object of the invention is to provide a universal connecter for electrical appliances which allows for freedom of movement around both vertical and horizontal axes, yet includes suitable abutment means to retain the connecter in the position best suited for eifective operation of the electrical appliance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a connecter of simplified form which is effective in operation and automatically moved by suitable co-acting means on the cable to urge the latter out of the path of movement of the operator of the electrical appliance.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred form thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plug connecter and cable co-acting means constructed in accordance with the present invention; illustrating the application of the same on an electric iron;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a plug connecter constructed in accordance withthe pres- 40 ent invention, illustrating the application thereof;

Fig. 3 is an inside elevational view of one-half of the plug connecter of the present invention, portions thereof being broken away to disclose details;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the plug connecter of the present invention-taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the. direction of the arrows; r

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional'view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of arrows; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a contact clip or brush used in the present invention.-

For the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention, I have in Fig. 1 shown a portion of an ironing board 8, upon which is mounted an electrical iron 9, of conventional design which embodies the usual plug-in socket 10.

The plug connecter constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention is generally designated 11 and consists of a twopart plug housing, the latter embodying, in one end thereof, yieldable sockets 12 which are adapted for engagement with the contact pintles of an electrical appliance in a manner well-known in the art.

A cylinder 13is rotatably mounted in the end of the plug housing opposite to that which carries the sockets 12. The inner terminal of the cylinder is equipped with a contact plate 14 which is provided with a semi-circular recess adapted for engagement with a complemental contact 15, carried by one end of a resilient arm 16. In proximity to the contact plate 14, the cylinder is provided with an annular recess which receives a contact ring 17, the latter being engaged by one terminal of a lead-in wire '18. An annulus 19 is formed on the cylinder just beyond the ring 17 and is seated in a complemental recess formed in the outer end of the plug housing. The outer end of the cylinder continues beyond the outer end of the plug housing and terminates in a crosshead 20, which latter is mounted in a casing 21, thelatter in the present instance being shown to be of semiovoidal configuration. The casing 21 has a sleeve 22 issuing therefrom, the bore of which communicates with the'interior of said casing.

As shown to advantage in Fig. 3, the outer end of the lead-in wire 18 extends through one terminal of the cross-head 20 in parallel relation to a lead-in wire 23, oneterminal of which latter extends through the cylinder into engagement with the contact plate 14, the opposite terminal thereof extending through the other end of the cross-head 20. The ends of the lead-in wires 18 and 23 which project through said cross-head are each provided with a semi-spherical contact head 25 which yieldably engage fingers 26 mounted in the casing 21. The outer end of each finger is enlarged to provide an ear 27 through the medium of which the finger is detachably engaged by a contact screw 28 with the casing. Said screws also serve to anchor cable wires 29 to the fingers 26. The cable wires 29 project from a cable 30, which latter extends through the sleeve 22, the

outer end thereof being adapted'for engagement with a source of current in a manner well-known in the art. It will be noted that the free ends of the fingers 26 are constantly urged into engagement with the semi-spherical heads 25 by pins 31, which latter are carried by the casing 21 in a position to flex the fingers against said heads.

It is apparent from the above that the wires 29 feed the current from the source of energy through the fingers 26 and heads 25 to the lead-in wires 18 and 23, the former being engaged with the ring 17 and the latter with the contact plate 14, in a manner already described. One of the sockets 12 is placed in circuit with the wires 18 and 23 by means of a resilient clip 32, the latter being detachably mounted in the plug housing and embodying a semi-circular band or brush 33, which embraces the ring 17. The band or brush 33 is at all times urged into contact with said ring by a presser pin 34, carried by the plug housing. As advantageously illustrated in Fig. 3, the clip is flexed over said pin 34 to cause uniform exertion of pressure on the band or brush 33 in the direction of the ring 17. The other socket 12 is placed in circuit with the lead-in wires 18 and 23 by the resilient arm 16 carried by an extension from said socket. The spherical contact 15 on the end ofthe arm is at all times urged against the contact plate 14 by a pin 35 carried by the plug housing.

I From the above description it becomes apparent that the cable-carrying casing 21 may be rotated on the plug housing around a vertical axis by reason of the cylinder 13 and may be moved through a vertical are around the horizontal axis by reason of the cross-head of the cylinder and the casing-engaging means already described. All connections are positive to insure efiective transmission of the current from the source of energy to the electrical appliance and the cable may be moved in practically any direction without danger of distortion or entanglement and without any strain on the terminals thereof anchored in the casing 21. When used on an electrical appliance such as an iron, it is desirable to limit both upward and downward movement of the casing 21 on the plug housing and for this purpose I provide suitable stops or abutments 36, which may be mounted on the crosshead 20 of the cylinder.

In using an electric iron it is, of course, desirable to retain the cable downwardly over one side of the ironing board and beneath the latter, in order to prevent contact of the cable with articles carried by the ironing board. The connecter of the present invention permits the cable to drop downwardly without interference with the movement of the iron or without danger of contact of the cable with the iron. However, to positively retain the connecter casing in its lowermost position while on an iron, I provide an anchor 37 which is sleeved on the cable and is of sufficient weight to urge the latter downwardly out of the way of the operator of the iron without in any way impeding or retarding the use of the iron.

Although the device of the present invention is shown as applied to an electric iron, it is of course, to be understood that this is only for the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention. It is within the contemplation of this invention to use the plug connecter herein shown and described on any electrical appliance where a universal connection may be desired. It is furthermore to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention, especially in the details of construction, proportion and arrangeof the parts, within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug connecter for electrical appliances including a plug housing for engagement with an appliance embodying a cylinder in electrical connection with the housing, one end of which is rotatably mounted in the housing, the opposite end of the cylinder being extended beyond the housing and enlarged, and an electric cable carrying casing housed over the enlarged extending end of the cylinder and pivotally connected thereto, said casing being in electrical engagement with the cylinder.

2. A plug connecter for electrical appliances including a plug housing embodying electrical contacts, a cylinder one end of which is rotatably mounted in the housing, one of said contacts engaging a terminal of the cylinder and the other contact being engaged with a conductor on the periphery of the cylinder, the opposite end of the cylinder projecting beyond the housing, and an electric cable carrying casing pivotally engaged to and in electrical connection with the extended end of the cylinder.

3. A plug connecter for electrical appliances including a plug housing for engagement with an appliance embodying contacts, a cylinder one end of which is rotatably mounted in the housing, one of said contacts being engaged with the inner terminal of the cylinder, a pin for constantly urging said contact against the cylinder terminal, the other contact being engaged with the periphery of the cylinder, a pin for urging said second contact against the periphery of the cylinder, and a cable carrying housing engaged with the outer end of the cylinder in electrical engagement with said contacts. 

